Effect of intraoperative dexmedetomidine on the postoperative agitation in thoracic surgery

Postoperative agitation is a common problem with an incidence of 40 - 52%. It can be hazardous especially in patients who underwent cardiothoracic surgery because they frequently have important medical devices and lines for postoperative management. However, previous studies about postoperative agitation were mostly conducted for pediatric patients, not adults. In recent study, postoperative agitation has been linked to pro-inflammatory cytokines released during surgery, and intravenous dexmedetomidine during surgery has been reported to decrease inflammatory cytokines. Therefore, we hypothesized that intraoperative dexmedetomidine could reduce postoperative agitation in adult patients. We conducted this study in thoracic surgery because the hazards are high when postoperative agitation occurred as foresaid, and one lung ventilation is related to a profound release of inflammatory cytokines.